ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · rock · pitcher · chest · mouse · ruler · scale · bay

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. scale — size or range
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. chest — a box
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — in music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. content — the amount
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chest — of your body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com